World
class fishing is the distinguishing mark of Livingston
and Park County. Some 103 miles of our rivers and
streams are designated as “Blue Ribbon” trout streams.
Many of the best streams carry 3,000 fish per mile.
Some of the finest fishing in the country is right here
in our back yard or alpine lakes high in the mountains.
Paradise Valley offers unique spring creek fishing.

Daily Lake on opening fishing day of 1955, 208 boats were
counted for the day.

How did world famous "Dan Bailey" fly shop end up in Livingston?

Photo of Dan Bailey
in his element!

In 1936, Dan Bailey married Helen Hesslein, and the couple
honeymooned on an extended camping & fishing trip in Montana and
Wyoming accompanied by his friend and fellow fly fisherman, Preston
Jennings-noted author of A Book of Trout Flies[3]. It was during
this trip that Dan and Helen began making plans to permanently
settle in Montana. In the summer of 1938, Dan Bailey abandoned his
physics education to make the move West to settle in Montana.

Though they planned to settle in Bozeman, Montana but a minor
accident with their car going up the east side of Bozeman Pass
forced them back to Livingston instead. They decided to stay in here
and open their fly tying business. The original fly shop was
established in the old Albermarle Hotel at 103 W Park Street along
with a small shooting gallery. The Bailey's lived in a back room and
the rent was $25 a month.

Because there was limited opportunity for local fly business, Dan
Bailey's became primarily a mail order fly shop and outfitter for
visiting anglers. Dan Bailey produced his first mail order catalog
in 1941—standard dry flies were $2.50 per dozen. In 1981, the year
before Dan's passing, Dan Bailey's Fly Shop was the largest
manufacturer of artificial flies in the United States producing over
750,000 flies annually for wholesale and retail customers. The mail
order business had over 50,000 subscribers.

Part of the advertising campaign for Livingston’s annual trout
derby.
This large stone fish was constructed by 50 volunteers just in time
for the 1942 Trout Derby

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